Forget shooting for a minute. That’s a whole different issue. The primary current causes of nausea for the Nets are rebounding and defending, two areas that served as the basis of success in recent years. But now, they are two areas where the Nets pretty much stink.

“Shaky. Our foundation right now is a little shaky,” admitted Byron Scott yesterday, the day after the Nets were hammered on the boards, 50-38, by New Orleans in an 88-85 defeat. “We’re not doing all the things we’re capable of doing. I don’t know if that’s because we’re taking it for granted. I don’t know if it’s complacency, I don’t know if it’s effort, I don’t know if it’s energy.”

Weighted down by early season injuries plus a less-than-boffo .413 shooting percentage, the Nets have had little room for error. So there’s trouble in Swamp City when they fail to contain the dribble (“people are breaking us down too much”) and in transition defense, according to Scott. Compounding everything is the rancid rebounding. A previous Net strength has become a genuine failing.

The Nets have been outrebounded in 9-of-11 games, by a 43.0-39.2 count.

Scott says, “We’re just not putting bodies on people.” Alonzo Mourning says it’s desire. Oh, there is some technical involved.

“Boxing out, grabbing the ball with two hands, moving a little bit faster to the ball, jumping a little bit higher,” said Mourning.

But mostly it’s desire.

“Charles Barkley said it best. He said, ‘Rebounding is just who wants the ball the most. Who wants it more,’ ” explained Mourning, a 9.8 career rebounder who has grabbed just 25 boards (2.3 per) in 11 games (only 199 minutes). “If you want it more than the next man, you’re going to get that ball.”

Mourning scoffs at the notion of complacency setting in, that the Nets might be riding out the season until the real important stuff in the playoffs.

“Nobody but Byron Scott’s won anything,” Mourning stressed. “The past two years, this team has had some success. Yes, they’ve been successful. But at the same time, they haven’t won the ultimate prize. Based on the effort they put forth the past two years, it wasn’t enough to win it all. So therefore this year, you’ve got to give a little bit more.”

The first place to start should be off the boards where the Nets frequently have been embarrassed. Scott said only Jason Collins and Brian Scalabrine have been technically correct in boarding. And against the Hornets, the best Net rebounder was Jason Kidd. Yes, Kidd is an exceptional boarder but he is the point guard after all.